Bird Banding

Two Times Available: 1-Hour Sunrise Experience or a full 9-11 AM Morning Activity

Experience wild birds in proximity during this bird banding demonstration. To conserve migratory birds, we need to understand the health of both populations and individual birds. Our guest speakers from the Audubon Society, do this by carefully attaching a light metal leg band for research and monitoring purposes. Each year they band, determine age and gender, and assess the health of birds at four distinct locations in Wyoming.

Guests will get to observe the banding process, ask questions of the scientists, and even assist in the operation by recording live data taken from the bands. After researchers have completed this process, guests will get to hold and release some of North America’s greatest gems, its migratory birds.

With the help of experts, we’ll have a chance to observe between 20-30 species of wild birds at the Ranch:

• Broad-tailed Hummingbird
• Yellow Warbler
• House Wren
• American Robin
• Spotted Towhee
• Black-capped Chickadee
• Black-headed Grosbeak
• Western Tanager
• Black-chinned Hummingbird
• Common Poorwill
• Flammulated Owl
• Mourning Dove
• MacGillivray’s Warbler
• Cedar Waxwing
• Steller’s Jay